A 31-year-old awaiting trial prisoner who escaped from lawful custody while making an appearance at the Bela Bela Magistrate’s Court earlier this week, has been rearrested.
The escaped awaiting trial prisoner, Jimmy Chauke, who is facing charges of house burglary escaped from the Limpopo court on Wednesday morning at around 8am.
Limpopo provincial police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, said Chauke had been arrested in connection with two cases of burglary residence that took place around Bela Bela in March and December 2023.
Ledwaba said the circumstances surrounding Chauke’s daring escape were subject to an investigation, although reports suggested the accused had been brought to court from the holding cell to consult with his legal representative.
He was rearrested late on Thursday night after police received information about the suspect’s whereabouts and rearrested him in the Masakhane Village in Bela Bela.
Chauke is expected to appear in the Bela Bela Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
He faces charges of of escaping from lawful custody and burglary.
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo, Major General Jan Scheepers praised the teams for the arrest.
In October last year, three awaiting trial prisoners escaped from the court holding cells in De Aar in the Northern Cape.
Two of the suspects were rearrested hours after the escape.
Police said preliminary investigation revealed they escaped from the cells by bending the iron of the burglar door of the cell and climbing through the back side of the court.
IOL News